out walking with my master or
John until I knew my way about the streets, so that I could be trusted
to go out by myself and come safe home again.

The care of the house also devolved once more upon me; and it was a more
responsible charge than at home, on account of the immense variety of
characters which I was obliged to understand. As to bribery, whether in
town or country, I was always incorruptible; but I found it necessary to
quicken my powers of observation, in order to be up to my duty in
London. I used sometimes to single out a suspicious individual in the
crowd, and follow him through two or three streets, till I had
thoroughly smelt out his character; and before long, I saw all I wanted
so quickly and accurately, that John himself was ready to submit his
judgment to mine. I learned to know my man, and to make him know me too;
and it would have required a daring thief to attempt our house.

I own I soon thoroughly enjoyed London and its ways, and quite left off
wishing to return to the monotony of the Manor. But though my life was
pleasant, let nobody do me the injustice to imagine that either its
novelty or its occupation could banish from my memory the dear little
companion who had formed my happiness at home. Forget my Pussy I never
did, though for a time I seemed contented without her. But, for the
first few days, I constantly expected to see her arrive. I took it for
granted that she would be brought to London just as I had been myself;
and every evening, at the hour of our own arrival, I went to the
hall-door, and sat patiently on the mat for a considerable time, fully
expecting every moment that a carriage would stop, and that I should be
the first to welcome my friend.

But day after day passed without bringing her. Plenty of other cats were
clambering about the roof of the house, or showing themselves against
the sky on the top of the wall; but they were all cross and spiteful,
setting up their backs and snarling at me if I only looked at them. I
had no wish to make their acquaintance, for there was but one cat in the
world that I cared for. My love was for the individual, not the race.
Dogs were numerous in the neighbourhood, and among them were several
intelligent, cultivated animals with whom I could be on pleasant barking
terms; but friendship is not made in a day, and these new acquaintances
could not make up for the want of my cat.

As I grew weary of watching for her in vain, I left off wait